Stroke patients get access to new rehab services

A rehabilitation program has been established in South Australia's Riverland for people who have recently suffered a stroke.

The program is run at the Riverland Regional Hospital and is supported by a group of Adelaide-based specialists, who travel to the region for consultations.

The hospital's director of medical services, Peter Joyner, says it involves a range of services, aimed at reducing the long-term effects of stroke.

He says it is a first for the region.

"There's only one other country area in South Australia, and that's Mount Gambier, where it's happening to that level," he said.

"So I think Riverland people should be happy that we keep trying to provide as many contemporary, high quality services as are possible, taking into account where we live and what we have to work with.

"If the assessment is made that they need to have treatment with certain specialised drugs, that can now be given at Berri and we would hope with that that would prevent some people in the Riverland from developing the full stroke damage and it would be able to reduce those effects."